Where you tend a rose my Lad, a thistle cannot grow
by DragonLover4Life
Summary: "Miss Yona! Where did you run off to?" a young man's voice called out from a little ways away, cutting her off before she could even finish her sentence. Before Hak could even get out any words of his own the girl got off of him, slapped a hand over his mouth and pulled them both back into the gardens and behind one of the brick walls draped in thick ivy.
1. Chapter 1

Akayona Secret Garden (AU)

It was a chilly mid-fall day as Hak made his way down to the gardens, his tools in hand along with other supplies he'd need, ready to help prepare them now that the winter months lay just around the corner.

First, he'd have to go about cleaning up all the rotting and finished plants and the weeds to make room for the flowers next spring. Then he'd have to start loosening up the soil and plant all the bulbs, before pruning back the perennials.

Unfortunately, it looked like it was going to be a long and chilly day that promised frozen fingers by the end of it.

No matter though. He liked looking after the garden and getting time to himself and to be with his animal friends.

He'd always been quite good with animals and had made it a point to help them out where and when he could. So, those odd times a bird or squirrel fell from its nest, he'd do his best to climb the tree and put them back, otherwise he'd look after them himself until they were ready to go off on their own.

Last spring he'd found a baby falcon and hadn't been able to find where it had come from so he ended up looking after it ever since. It had learned how to fly and hunt on its own but always came back to him either to share whatever it had caught or simply ride around on his shoulder.

He'd named the bird Gulfan, and even now on his way to the gardens he could look up and see him circling his path just above.

As he reached the gardens he carefully put down the bulbs and tools, and went to work pulling out the mess of dead leaves and weeds that lay in the flower beds.

It was a lovely garden, though it had seen better days. Before he'd arrived at the estate it had been neglected for years and so it had become overrun with bushes, vines and weeds all twisted into a thick knot, blocking most of the pathways in and around the main pavilion.

The housekeeper had given him the job of groundskeeper on a whim after seeing him helping out his grandfather in the garden one day on her way into town. She'd said they were short-staffed and that he seemed strong enough to help out with the manual labour. They could even pay him a decent sum for his time.

He'd agreed without a second thought and asked where and when he should arrive. Everything after that had been history.

By now he'd been working there at the manor for a little over a month, but with the sheer size of the garden with all its sections and ponds, he was still only about halfway done readying it. With winter only a few weeks away now and so much to clean away first, he hadn't had much other time to try and bring the place back to its former glory.

He'd have to be quicker if he hoped to be done in time. With that in mind, and having now amassed his first large pile of compost for the day, he picked up his pile and started to take it to the bin where he kept the rest of the compost as it slowly broke down into fertilizer that could be used later on.

However, after having taken no more than five steps out of the entryway, he was suddenly bowled over and knocked to the ground by what he could only identify as a red mass of _something_ as it came flying around the corner, hitting him straight in the chest.

"Oof!" he groaned as he rubbed the back of his head where it had hit the ground.

He sighed as he looked around and noted he'd dropped the heap of dead plants during the collision and would have to gather them all up again, only slowing his progress for the day even more.

More importantly, what the heck had managed to knock them both over?

Looking down at his chest he got somewhat of an answer as he locked eyes with a bewildered girl who couldn't have been more than a few years younger than him. She had the brightest red hair that he'd ever seen. So bright that it seemed to burn like fire as the cold morning air blew it about her head. Recovering from their fall quickly enough, she immediately began sputtering out a string of apologies.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there! Here, let me—"

"Miss Yona! Where did you run off to?" a young man's voice called out from a little ways away, cutting her off mid-sentence.

Before Hak could even get out any words of his own, the girl scrambled off of him, slapped a hand over his mouth and pulled them both back further into the gardens and behind one of the brick walls draped thickly in ivy.

He tried to struggle a bit before she desperately held a finger to her lips while looking earnestly into his eyes, begging him to be quiet and he relented, giving up and simply sitting there quietly.

Not a few seconds later the voice that had called out earlier grew closer, still calling for a 'Miss Yona' which Hak could only assume was this girl that now held him hostage in the ivy.

Only once the footsteps and voice faded out of range and she seemed sure that the young man was gone did she breathe a sigh of relief and slowly pull her hand away from his mouth and turn to him.

"I'm so sorry about that," She apologised, "I know it was quite rude of me, but thank you for going along with it and being quiet."

"Who were you hiding from?" Hak demanded immediately. "And why? You certainly seemed in an awful hurry to get away from whoever they are when you came running around that corner and bowled me over, which hurt quite a bit, I might add." He grumbled, rubbing the back of his head again as he stood up and offered her his hand to pull her up too.

She cringed at his last comment but gratefully took his hand anyway.

"Ah, yes, sorry again about that too. My father has company over and I was left to entertain their son. He's a bit older than I am and absolutely horrid to be around. He won't leave me be and keeps trying to flirt with me. I've been trying to lose him all day." She explained, expression somewhere between relieved to be rid of the boy and embarrassed at all the trouble she had caused.

"Ah, I see. Well, next time try to look where you're going before you go sprinting through these gardens. I'm here most days and I'd rather appreciate not having a repeat of just now, if it's all the same to you." He said, as he went back over to the entrance to start to regather the pile of compost he'd dropped.

"I will. But –here, let me help you with that." She replied, following him and crouching down to help him pick everything up.

Minutes later, they had everything cleaned up and the girl followed him to the compost where they put away the plant matter. He used the stick he kept there to mix it in with the rest to help it break down evenly.

With that done, Hak gave her a brief thanks over his shoulder and turned to get back to work.

"Wait!" she called halting him before he got more than a few steps away. He turned back to look at her.

"Is there -um - anything else I can help you with?" the girl asked. "I can't exactly head home just yet until that boy goes home, and I've nothing else to do." She muttered, fiddling with the hem of her skirts.

He thought about it for a moment. He still had a lot to do and it was taking him longer to clear everything in the garden than he thought it would. It wouldn't hurt to have another set of hands helping him if she was offering to help out anyway.

He shrugged. "Sure, if you'd like."

The girl's face lit up and she jogged a few paces to catch up to him as he continued on his way.

"I'm Yona by the way. What's your name?" she asked.

"Hak."

A few hours later, with dirt smearing both their faces, he and Yona had managed to get everything cleared and most of the soil turned before it got any colder.

With the hard work out of the way Hak went over to where he had left the bulbs and grabbed them all, along with the flask he had brought with him.

He took a quick swig and offered it over to Yona who stared at him in surprise.

He chuckled lightly at her expression.

"It's hot cocoa that my gramps made me this morning, not alcohol." He said with a friendly grin. "I'd planned to have it once I was done, but we might as well take a break and warm ourselves up a bit now."

She smiled back at him and accepted the flask, humming in contentment as she took a sip to find the drink still steaming even after all this time.

They sat down for a bit on a short stone wall, passing the flask back and forth between the two of them between sips and warming their hands on the sides. As they did so, Hak took the time to really look at the Yona for the first time since they'd met that morning.

He was embarrassed to note that she was actually very pretty. While he'd noticed her hair before –quite easily given how bright and vibrant it was –he hadn't really noticed the colour of her eyes until then.

His own eyes were a bright, electric blue, but hers were unique in a way he'd never seen on anyone else before. Somewhere bordering a stormy sea and violets blooming in the summer.

He could tell she had a rather petite frame underneath her thick, extravagant winter clothing. And her hands were small and smooth looking, lacking the kinds of calluses his own had. Clearly, she hadn't done a day of work in her life.

Just who was this girl exactly, he wondered?

Before he could think on this any further, however, Gulfan decided at the moment to come sweeping down out of the sky to land on his shoulder, startling Yona. She nearly fell off the brick wall, and would have if Hak hadn't caught her with an arm around her waist in time.

"Where on earth did that thing come from?!" she cried, hand on her heart trying to get it to slow its rapid pace.

"Gulfan is a 'he', not a 'thing'." He corrected, watching as her face changed as she began to look at the bird in awe.

"Is he yours?" she asked.

"No. Gulfan isn't anybody's but his own, I just looked after him when he fell from his nest as a chick and he's decided to hang around and be my friend."

"Is he safe?"

At this, he laughed a bit and gave her an impish grin, "Well, he is with me. You can pet him if you're not too scared. His feathers are very soft."

"I'm not scared!" She said, scowling at him for teasing her but still looking hesitant as she slowly reached forward to touch him. Halfway, however, she wimped out andin the end only ended up poking him instead of petting him, making the poor bird let out a shrill and indignant call in offense.

"Not like that! Like this," Hak said, reaching for her hand and slowly guiding it up to his shoulder to stroke the soft downy feathers on the bird's chest.

"That's it, just like that." He said gently, slowly letting go of her hand to let her pet him on her own.

Gulfan, luckily, kept to being on his best behaviour as he let Yona pet him. He had been teasing her before, but sometimes Gulfan did nip him on the ear if Hak annoyed him or didn't give him a treat after he'd helped him with something.

Oddly enough, the bird seemed to be enamoured with the girl, even letting out contented little chips from deep in his throat as he cocked his head to the side to look at her.

 _Silly, fickle bird,_ he thought to himself. Minutes later though it seemed that the moment would have to be cut short as the wind picked up and he noticed that it was starting to get dark.

That was the problem with winter, he supposed. It started getting dark as early as four in the afternoon. He much preferred the summer, when the days were longer, and he could spend more time outside in the warm sun rather than shut in at home with Gramps and his younger brother in their little cottage.

"Looks like I'll have to leave planting the bulbs until tomorrow then." He muttered as he hopped down from the wall before helping Yona do the same, "Well, at least we got the worst of it done today. The rest won't take long."

"If it's alright with you, could I join again tomorrow? That boy will be visiting again and . . . well, I had fun helping out." Yona asked, looking away shyly.

He was surprised at first.

He hadn't expected to ever see her again after today. He'd spent the better half of the last month working his days away out here on his own without ever crossing another soul until he headed back home in the evening.

It had been cold out all day and all they'd done was turn the soil and pull weeds, yet she had never complained even as she got covered in dirt and their fingers grew numb in the biting wind. She was even saying she'd had fun.

It was odd, he thought. But, somewhere deep inside he was happy he'd get to see her again. Even if it was just to help her hide from whatever guy was unsuccessfully trying to court her.

Well, it couldn't hurt to have her come back and help him again.

"If you'd like. All that's left is planting the bulbs for the spring before winter fully settles in, so it won't be as tiresome as it was today. I'll make sure to bring more hot cocoa for us both tomorrow then." He said casually as he gathered up all his gardening tools in a wheelbarrow and began to cart it back towards the entrance.

"Besides, Gulfan certainly seemed like he'd like to see you again, seeing how warmly he'd acted towards you earlier."

"Really? Thank you! What time do you usually get here?" she asked excitedly.

"Around eight o'clock, but you don't have to be here that early. Come whenever you'd like."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then. Thanks again for letting me hide out here and for the hot cocoa!" she smiled. With that, she took off down the path back to wherever she had come from.

Hak sighed. It was silly of him, but he was actually excited to come back here tomorrow.

 _What a strange girl,_ he thought.

And with that, he started the long trek home, Gulfan sitting on his shoulder the whole way there.

He'd have to remember not to say anything to Gramps when he got back. He'd be sure to tease Hak relentlessly for getting knocked over by a little girl and letting her talk him into allowing her to hang around his work.

He'd go on and say that she'd have him wrapped around her little finger in no time and Hak was in no mood for dealing with that.

When he got home, he'd simply have a nice hot meal and go about his evening as usual.

Besides, she was coming back again to hide out tomorrow, but after that, the boy she was hiding from was sure to go home and that'd be the last he saw of her.

Right?

 **Note 1** : Yes, I totally called it a falcon instead of a hawk because Hak's Hawk sounded a bit silly in my mind.

 **Note 2:** I am aware that this story doesn't really capture Hak's teasing, more bluntly put personality as might be preferable and I think that's because I'm trying to make him into a gardener as opposed to a warrior, so his personality is coming off as a little bit softer. I'll try to remedy that a bit more another time but for now, I just wanted to write this all down before the idea for the story got lost inside my head.

 **Note 3** : I was tempted to go make it more similar to the secret garden by having Su-won as Collin and Yona living with her uncle Yu-hon instead of her father but I knew it would be really difficult not to lose Su-won's entire personality by having him in Collins role even it fit perfectly because they were cousins too. The affection went the other way though and I just wasn't sure how to make that work at all.

 **Note 4:** A lot less happened in this then I had intended so I'll probably have a second chapter covering the rest of what I'd planned to happen in a few days.

Lastly, thanks for reading and reviews of any and all kind are always welcome. Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!


	2. Chapter 2

Akayona Secret Garden (AU): part 2

The next day, Hak was up bright and early as usual. Gramps was already awake and making both him and his little brother Tae-yun breakfast, consisting of some bread and fresh eggs from the chickens.

Wolfing down his food, Hak thanked him before grabbing his coat and boots, along with his bag of gardening tools and began to make his way up the road that led towards the estate.

For some reason, he felt eager to get there today. Not because that girl said she'd come visit him again, though. That would be silly. Besides, she'd probably forgotten all about her promise by now, and was off running into some other poor staff member on another one of her escapades.

Maybe he was just looking forward to seeing Gulfan today. He'd returned yesterday after having been gone for a little over a week, probably off exploring and whatnot, and Hak had been glad to see his friend return to him once again.

As he rounded the corner to the entrance of the gardens however, he was dragged away from his thoughts upon seeing the girl again, standing just outside the entrance waiting for him.

She seemed rather sleepy and cold in the early morning chill. Probably missing the warmth of her bed at the moment. More peculiar, though, was her state of dress.

While yesterday she had been smartly dressed, looking all prim and proper if a bit disheveled from running about all day, today she seemed almost bedraggled.

She was wearing a long, dark grey woolen dress that reached just past her knees, with a pair of dark fleece leggings underneath. Her jacket was all twisted, with many of the buttons paired up with the wrong holes. One of her stockings didn't quite match the other either, and her shoes weren't even tied.

Most amusing of all, however, was the state of her vibrant hair.

It seemed as though she had attempted to put it into two braids, but had created more of a massive knot instead, leaving her hair in tangled curls and frizzy as it was whipped about in the wind.

"What on earth happened to you?" he asked as he approached her.

Looking up, she seemed excited to see him. That is, until his question registered with her and her expression was replaced with a more sour look.

"You said you got here around eight 'o'clock. My maids don't usually come in to wake me and help me dress until much later, so I had to get up and dress myself. I thought I had done a rather decent job given I've never done such a thing before." She said with a huff.

"Your maids?" he asked, confused until everything suddenly began to make more sense. That boy that had been chasing after her had been addressing her as 'miss'.

"So, you're The Master's daughter then? Mistress Yona." He stated, more to himself than to her.

Now it was his turn to be embarrassed, having let The Master's daughter help him with his work the other day, and shoveling dirt no less! Hopefully, she hadn't mentioned it to anyone, and he'd still have a job by the end of the day.

"Please, just call me Yona." She replied, not looking at all phased by his revelation.

Taking that as a good sign that he wasn't about to get in trouble with his employer, he relaxed again.

"Alright then, Yona. That still doesn't explain why you look like that. Have you really never learned how to dress yourself properly before?" he asked with a chuckle. He watched in entertainment as her face began to turn a scarlet bright enough to rival that of her hair.

"Oh, be quiet, you! It's not as if anyone ever bothered to teach me. If it looks that bad then just help me fix it, would you?" she said looking dismayed while pulling dejectedly at her hair.

Still chuckling to himself he sighed and walked over to her, grabbing Yona's hand and leading her back over to the old brick wall they'd sat on yesterday.

He instructed her to sit, which she did happily before looking up at him patiently. Waiting to see how he planned to fix the mess she'd created.

First, he went about teaching her how to properly tie her shoes. He found it funny how eagerly she watched him, and how seriously she took to learning such a menial task. Once he'd showed her how on her left foot, he let her try it herself for her right. It took a few tries, but she eventually got it after Hak reminded her of a forgotten step here and there.

Next, he moved on to helping her to button up her coat properly. This was less of a lesson in how to dress herself and more a lesson on simply paying attention to how many buttons there were. After pointing this out to her, she insisted -still rather embarrassed -that she could do it herself and that it had simply been because she'd been in such a rush to get down to the gardens that morning.

There was nothing they could do about her mismatched socks, so instead he moved on to helping her with the largest task at hand.

Her hair.

She didn't object when he spun her around so that her back was facing him and he hopped up to sit behind her. He gently took off her hat and began to untangle her hair.

Being as gentle as he could, he used his fingers to slowly comb through her hair and work out the knots, one by one. It took awhile, but soon enough he was able to start braiding her hair for her, this time into two neat braids that went down the sides of her shoulders.

Amazed at his handiwork, she ran her hands over the smooth new braids. She smiled over at him as she put her hat back on.

"Thank you! That's much better than the mess I had managed to make it into before. Where did you learn to do that?" she asked suspiciously, explaining how she had tried her best for a little over an hour and had only gotten frustrated before giving up upon realizing that she'd have to hurry if she didn't want to be late.

"A lot of the time growing up in my village I would end up babysitting the neighbouring kids. Long story short, a bunch of the younger girls insisted that I learn so that I could help them do each other's hair in the morning when their mothers were too busy." He said with a shrug.

"Well, it looks wonderful. Maybe you could teach me how sometime."

"Sure, if you'd like."

Now that Yona was dressed a little more functionally, they both set about getting to work for the day. Grabbing his spade while Yona grabbed the bag of bulbs, he led her over to one of the smaller flower beds that surrounded an old tree stump that sat in the middle.

"If I dig the holes, you can plant the bulbs." He said, already kneeling down in the dirt to get started.

Yona nodded eagerly and opened the bag he had told her to grab to find it full of bulbs that he had said were for tulips. She didn't really know the names of many flowers, but she was sure they'd be pretty, nonetheless. Hak had said they came in many different colours and that they'd make the garden feel full of life when spring came around.

He'd just finished digging the first hole and had begun to dig the next, so Yona looked around the bag until she found a nice round bulb. She had only just stuck it in the hole and began to cover it up with dirt however, when Hak stopped her.

"Not like that," he said, taking her hand in his and placing the bulb back in her palm, this time with the funny little hairs on it facing down.

"You've got to put it in this way, so that the roots can grow the right way." He said, giving her a smirk, "You really don't know anything about gardening, do you?"

"No, but that's why I figure you can teach me." She replied, choosing to ignore his teasing.

"And what makes you think I have the time to be teaching you anything?"

"Well, if I keep helping you, that'll help get everything done quicker, won't it? So you'll have a bit of spare time to teach me while I'm helping."

Hak was almost speechless. For a clueless girl who had never done a lick of work and who had literally barreled into his life so suddenly, he was surprised at how keen she was about having him teach her new things, and to learn and help out.

Seeming to guess what he was thinking, she answered before he could say anything else.

"I know I might not be that helpful right now, but I'm sick of being shut up inside the manor with nothing to do and no one who cares." She said, turning to look him square in the eyes.

"I'm tired of having to constantly rely on others to do every little thing for me. I want to do things on my own and learn about the world outside. I want to feel like I'm actually doing something with my life as opposed to being nothing but a bride that can be sold off to whatever marriage seems most convenient at the time." She finished with a sigh.

Ahh. So, things went a little deeper than just sudden interest, it seemed. This was her way of taking control of her life in whatever way she could.

"Well, so long as I don't get in trouble for letting you help out around here, I guess there's no harm in teaching you a few things here and there." He said, standing up and walking over to his bag by the brick wall.

"Really?!" she asked, jumping up and running to catch up with him, "You'll really let me keep helping you around here and teach me stuff?"

"Sure. Besides, I get a second pair of hands helping me get the job done faster."

"Thank you so much, Hak!" she said and with that she ran back over to the bag of bulbs and spade and began to hurriedly plant the rest of them with new enthusiasm.

Hak simply grabbed his flask of Hot cocoa and took a swig as he leaned against the brick wall, hoping the steam would explain why his cheeks were now pink.

{*****}

Hey guys! Long time no see. Sorry it's been awhile I've just been super tired all the time lately and can't seem to get anything done. I'll probably only have another one or two chapters for this story before it's done. I never planned on this being a long one, but I hope you enjoy anyway.

Note; if you haven't heard the 1993 soundtrack of the secret garden please give a shot. I write while listening to it all the time.

Reviews are always appreciated and I hope to get more works and chapters up soon!


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next few days Yona returned again and again, until it had become a regular routine of theirs. This time she'd come with a treat of her own for Hak, having snuck into her father's office and stolen a few pieces of toffee from the bowl he kept on his desk.

He gratefully accepted, even if while shaking his head all the while. This girl just seemed to _look_ for trouble wherever she could.

It didn't really matter though, as it was just the two of them out there, and with only a few pieces missing she assured him that her father wouldn't notice.

So, putting those thoughts behind him, Hak went straight to work with the last of his tasks by grabbing a pair of small garden shears to prune back the perennials. As he did this, he handed Yona a net to help scoop out all the dead leaves that covered the surface of the little pond that sat by one of the statues.

He didn't have much left for her to help with today, but she didn't seem to mind so much, content to just tag along and enjoy the brisk morning air.

Given how simple her task was though, it wasn't long before she had finished and ended up wandering over to where he was to sit and watch as he worked.

"I sure do hope that we can replant some of these in the spring." She said, breaking the silence and grabbing his attention so suddenly he nearly sheared off the tip of his thumb.

Confused at what she meant, Hak gave her an odd look and asked her why she would want to get rid of the ones that were already there.

"They're dead." she said, pouting slightly as she pointed to some of the dogwood.

He chuckled at this and put down his shears, reaching into his jacket and flicking out the blade of the pocket knife he always carried with him.

Looking mildly alarmed at the blade and unsure of what he had in mind, Yona stood up from where she had been perched on the base of one of the garden walls and came closer, curious as to what he would do.

Still with an amused look on his face and grabbing the nearest branch, Hak swiftly used his knife to carve away a strip out of the bark and into the heart of the twig of one of the bushes, revealing a green interior.

"It's not dead", he said as though the statement were obvious, "it's as wick as you and me."

"Wick?" she parrots, cocking her head to the side and giving him a confused look, "What's that mean?"

"Well. . ." He thought about it for a moment, tapping the handle of the small knife against his chin a few times as he mulled over how best to explain it to her. "It means life. To be full of life. These bushes aren't dead, they simply shed their coat of leaves for the winter instead of growing thicker fur like all the animals do. Come spring they'll be chock full with colour and berries again." he explained with a fond smile.

When he looked back at her to see if she understood, he was surprised to find a look of fondness on her face as she watched him find the right words, making him blush and quickly pick up his shears again and continue his work.

"Right now though it's best to trim back the old so that it'll have room to grow once it warms up again."

"Ah, I see." She said picking up the branch he'd carved into and looking again at the green core.

"You're right, it is as alive as you and me!" she exclaimed with a grin so bright Hak couldn't help but think that it rivalled the sun.

Months had passed since he and Yona had finished readying the garden for winter, and without much to do outside apart from shoveling snow from time to time, Yona had taken it upon herself to always have some reason for Hak to come and visit the manor.

Throughout the cold months, if it hadn't been exploring some old hidden passageway she'd found, it was teaching her more practical lessons again like how to tie various knots or mend a piece of fabric properly.

Now though, the long-awaited spring had come.

The flowers were blooming, and the garden was just as beautiful and alive as Hak had promised. Yona was ecstatic, eagerly making her way about the garden naming all the flowers she remembered them planting in the fall and the new ones that she'd studied in her free time from the horticulture books in her father's library.

Hak watched her from afar, pleased as anything to see her as proud of their work as he was.

Even Gulfan seemed excited as he soared above them, eagerly looking out for any small rabbits that would now be out and about eating the fresh grass.

Eventually, once she'd checked every nook and cranny for any other flowers that she could name and finding none, Yona lit up even more if that were possible.

Claiming she had an idea, she demanded that Hak sit down and close his eyes, and instructed him not open them until she said so. Reluctantly, he agreed and did as she said. He figured it was the easiest thing in the long run after having gotten to know her stubborn nature over the winter.

Had he tried to argue the point, they would have bickered until she'd eventually pout and give him her puppy-eyed look, and that would have been all it would take before he gave in anyways.

As he waited, he could hear her rummaging around and running back and forth along the paths, piquing his curiosity. When she finally finishes with whatever had her running around and tells him he can open his eyes again, he's greeted with the sight of Yona kneeling down in the grass across from him, her bright pink skirts spread out around her and a crown of holly and oak leaves being offered to him.

He laughed at first, surprised by her gift and teased her about how girly a flower crown was even as she argued that it wasn't a flower crown because it held no flowers so boys could wear it too. Either way he lets her sit it on his head, not wanting to be rude and turn down her gift.

She admitted the only reason she learned how to make one was after she asked one of her maids to teach her.

"Why did you decide to make me a 'flower-crown-that-isn't-a-flower-crown' all of a sudden anyways?" he asked.

"Well, it just seemed that over our time tending to the garden together it felt as though it had become its own little kingdom of sorts, and seeing as you are in charge of the garden's care, it only made sense that you should have a crown fit for a king." She said rather plainly, a proud smile across her face as she admired her handiwork some more.

He laughed and teased her again for being a silly little girl still stuck in her fairy-tale stories.

"Besides, it's best not to go claiming to be the king or queen of the wild things around here, else Titania or Oberon might hear you." He said with an impish grin.

She frowned at this, "Titania and Oberon?"

"The Queen and King of the Fey, silly! Haven't you ever heard of them before?" Yona shook her head. "Not even Puck, Oberon's mischievous right-hand man? I would have thought as a girl who's a part of the upper class they would have had you reading Shakespeare and the like." He said, giving her a funny look.

"I've read plenty of Shakespeare, but not all of them!" She exclaimed in a huff, obviously displeased to have him thinking she hadn't had a good education.

"Fair enough." He relented, yet still she seemed to be in a huff. So, putting the matter behind them, she instead opted for running over to the flower beds again and grabbing more, weaving herself her own little tiara of cornflowers and buttercups.

"There! Now we can rule together just like them in our own garden kingdom. They can have the woods and whatnot, but I claim this garden to be our own!" She says proudly, leaving no room for argument.

And so, with a tip of his own crown to her he simply says, "As you wish, Princess" and she graces him with a smile once more.

{*****}

Hey guys! So this is the second last chapter to this little story. I hope to have the last chapter out in the next few weeks. I hope you've enjoyed it so far and thank you for reading!

Reviews are always welcome! Love ya!


	4. Chapter 4

"Hak, promise me that you'll think of me when you see them, won't you?"

"Of course, Princess."

{*****}

The sun was pleasantly warm as it peaked over the horizon just as Hak grabbed his wheelbarrow full of tools and began making his way to the garden.

It had been five long years since Yona's father had sent her away to finishing school in the city. She'd been reluctant to go, not wanting to leave Hak and their little garden behind, but in the end, she'd relented to her father's wishes.

Her mother had died when she was very young, and he was her only family left –apart from a cousin who lived overseas. She may push and coerce him into letting her do all sorts of things, but when it came to her education, there was to be no argument. Nevermind that she couldn't bear to stay mad at her father for long.

Still, their goodbye had not been one without tears on her part and the feeling of his heart breaking in two, on his. They both knew it wouldn't be forever, but five years to a thirteen-year-old girl and a fifteen-year-old boy seemed like forever.

It had been a little over 3 years since they'd first met, what felt like so many seasons ago. In that time, they'd grown close as they worked side by side in the garden together. Eventually her father had clocked on to where she ran off to every time she wanted to escape playing host for company or sitting through one of her governess' lessons.

He'd been nervous at first. Worried that her father wouldn't approve of her digging around in the dirt and helping a member of the staff do their job. Wouldn't approve of him having let her do as such for so long behind his back. Luckily, her father had been fairly lax towards the matter, deciding that gardening was an acceptable hobby for a young lady and that she could continue to spend her time there, so long as she stopped skipping out on her responsibilities.

To say he'd been relieved had been an understatement when she'd come barreling in through the hedge walls to tell him the good news. He'd been even more happy when she'd started jumping up and down in tiny hops of joy before throwing herself into his arms, giggling happily as he'd spun her around in celebration.

That day had been the first of many days spent morning, noon and evening out tending to the new blooms, Yona having worked hard to finish all her homework and duties the night before so that she could take the day off with her father's permission.

The hours had always seemed to fly by so quickly on those days. Before either of them knew it, they'd be reluctantly packing up their things and Hak would walk her back to the manor before making his way home;both of them wishing for even one more hour.

Still, those days spent attached at the hip had been so long ago now.

The morning she was to leave, they had decided to meet early and make their way one last time through the gardens together.

The mist was still rising off the ground when he saw her figure drifting towards him. As always, the first thing to catch his eye when she came into view was that ever-vibrant hair of hers. Truly, it never failed to astonish him just how bright it was, and how lovely it was on her. When he had fallen so hard for her, he didn't know.

Somehow, she had managed to smuggle herself into his heart without him even noticing.

She smiled brightly when she spotted him and broke into a little jog, as she used one hand to clutch something to her chest to keep from dropping it while using the other to hike up her skirts.

"Sorry I'm late! I had to grab something before I left the manor." She explained, her breath coming out in visible little puffs in the morning air, making him think of a little red dragon letting out puffs of smoke. The thought made him chuckle a little.

"What's so funny?" she asked, giving him a quizzical look.

"Nothing for you to worry yourself about. Wouldn't want you to get wrinkles at your age." He teased as he reached out and used his thumb to smooth the furrows from her brow.

She scoffed at him but didn't push his hand away like she might usually. They could both feel the heaviness in the air of their impending goodbyes and it made them softer towards one another than their usual upbeat banter might have led them to be.

More tender.

Counting each last moment.

"I brought you something, to say goodbye," she said, breaking the silence that had begun to grow between them. She stared down at her already-muddied shoes as she handed him the small package that she had been holding to her chest.

"It's not much, but since I'll be gone for quite awhile, you'll have to go back to looking after the garden all by yourself again. And, well. . . I had wanted to plant these together, but now with me leaving like this, I was hoping that you could plant and look after them for me until I come back." She explained as he unfolded the paper wrapping.

There, in his hands, was a small silk drawstring bag that barely filled his palm. When he opened the bag and poured some of the contents out he immediately recognised them for what they were.

Rose seeds.

He smiled a tight smile.

"There's nothing stopping us from planting them together now," he said, pouring the seeds back into the silk pouch and gently placing back into her own hand. "But I promise I'll be sure to take good care of them so that the garden will be bursting when you return."

"Thank you, Hak," she said, her shoulders relaxing somewhat. "I guess we should hurry and enjoy our last stroll through here, so we can plant them before I have to go. I'm sure Father will send the coach men after me with rope and nets to drag me off if I'm anything less than on time at the gates with my bags," she finished, her own smile coming out somewhat forced. He knew she was trying her best to lighten the mood.

To Hak's credit, he managed to scoff a little at her dramatics before holding out his hand to her. "Then by all means, let's be on our way."

Together they walked hand in hand towards a relatively empty planter, near the stone wall where they had first met. He smiled to himself softly as memories of when Yona had come tearing around the corner and bowled him over in one of her early escapades came flooding back to him.

She chuckled a little herself, clearly remembering the same thing. Once they found a suitable spot in the bed of soil just around the center pond, they both knelt down and began digging little holes in the soil with their bare hands.

"You know, I'm a little surprised that you ever let me back here after I ran you over that day. I even held you hostage behind the wall." She said, her cheeks tinting pink, "I can't say it was my greatest first impression."

He laughed as he too recalled how bewildering the experience had been what felt like ages ago.

"Well, to be fair, it's not as though I had much choice in the matter. Not with how stubborn you can get if you set your mind to something."

She whacked him lightly on the shoulder, to which he feigned injury, and she giggled.

"I like to call it 'determination'."

"Call it what you like, you've still got a hard head."

"You're a jerk sometimes, you know that?" she said with a fake sigh of exasperation, shaking her head and looking up at the sky.

"Only, to you," He replied, intending to keep the banter going. She surprised him though, when instead of a snappy response she just leaned into his side and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Good."

An hour later, they were racing back to the front gates. They had finished planting the seeds and walked just a little too slowly as they left the gardens (slightly on purpose if they were forced to admit it), but now they raced to make it back to the gates on time. They managed it in the end, even if Yona's father scowled at the muddied ends of her skirts and shoes. Hak merely caught her eye and gave her a wink as her father scolded her, which she returned with a small conspiratorial grin of her own.

At last, the moment they had both been dreading finally arrived. Yona's things were loaded onto the carriage, and it truly was time to say goodbye. Carefully climbing the steps, she settled herself into her seat as Hak stood by her window.

"Try not to get lost out there. We both know you have a terrible sense of direction, and I'll be waiting on your return so you can get back to helping me rake the leaves." He said as he reached out to squeeze one of her now-gloved hands gently in his own. His calluses scraped against the soft silk in a way that all too acutely reminded him of his place.

She laughed properly for the first time all morning at his remark, having not caught how his eyes had dulled slightly. It helped to ease some of the growing weight off his chest.

"I'll be careful, I promise. So long as you keep the promise you made me, as well," she replied, looking him straight in the eyes and squeezing his hand back.

At this, he felt his expression stiffen, but he nodded and waited for her next words.

"Hak, promise me that you'll think of me when you see them, won't you?"

He knew without her saying it that she meant the roses. The only flower red enough to rival that of her hair.

"Of course, Princess." he said, using his old nickname for her as he held her solemn gaze.

And before he could say anything more, with the crack of a whip she was gone.

Five years.

It had been five years since they'd said their goodbyes.

She'd written to him those first few months, as she slowly settled into life at her new boarding school. But, as the years had gone by he'd heard from her less and less, her studies keeping her busy and leaving her too exhausted to write much before falling asleep each night, or so she'd said.

It shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did. He knew she'd make all sorts of new, upper class friends while she was away. Surely, friends of such stature were much better suited to her than he ever was. It was better in the long run. This way, she'd meet the kind of people who would help her find her place in society. Something he could surely never do. She'd probably found new interests too.

She'd likely forgotten about him by now, and he couldn't blame her.

Still, it didn't stop him from missing her each and every day.

He'd tried to keep himself distracted. Helping out more at home on his days off to help Gramps with looking after Tae-yun. Throwing himself more into his work and doing odd jobs on the side when he could. Not that he needed the money that badly. No, his job at the manor paid well enough, but he liked to keep busy and there was nothing wrong with earning a little extra cash on the side to keep Gramps and Tae-yun comfortable.

Now that Tae-yun had grown up though, his help wasn't needed as much with his adoptive brother now able to help with most things around the house while Hak worked at the manor. He would have taken care of Gramps in his retirement if the old man would let either of them, but alas, there was no stopping the old geezer who had no intention of slowing down in life just because of his age.

Now though, as the days seemed to grow longer again with summer just on the horizon, life had fallen into an easy routine. Get up, work outside in the gardens all day, leave for his second job down at the taproom in the evening, then come back home each night to sleep until he began again the next day.

He didn't mind the monotony that much either. Having a routine each day made life easier; more predictable and calm. Plus, he enjoyed the hard work and the long hours. It made him feel like he'd earned his pay and had done something productive with his time. He almost prefered his nights working in the taprooms than his mornings at the manor.

He loved looking after the garden that had been his responsibility for so long that it had become his second home. But now, every time he saw a rose, true to his word, he couldn't help but let his mind become full of thoughts of her.

Sometimes when he was out on the moors on his way back into town in the evenings, he'd think he'd see glimpses of her. Thought he'd hear the wind whisper her words back to him.

" _Hak, promise me that you'll think of me when you see them won't you?"_

In a way, she had become the ghost of those roses.

A memory of childhood days together, left to haunt him.

The thorns of her absence twinging sharply in his heart.

But he couldn't let himself dwell on it for long. If he did, it only made the days go by so much slower; the hours longer and the work harder.

Shaking his head, he dragged himself back to the present and put thoughts of the past behind him. Instead, he returned his focus to the current task at hand, and went about starting his list of things he needed to do that day. First up was to rake up all the dead leaves, and weed the flower beds. Once that was done, it was about time for him to start tying some of the taller plants to reed poles in order to keep them from falling over under their own weight. When all that was done, the housekeeper asked him to bring bushels of flowers up to the manor to be used for arrangements in each of the bedrooms and hallways to keep them looking fresh and inviting.

Which flowers she wanted exactly, he didn't know, so he supposed it would be best to just pick a bunch of varying heights and colours and hope she'd be happy. So off he went, using his set of small shears to begin neatly cutting and gathering a bushel. The colours began to pile up as he picked peonies, canna lilies, marigolds, irises, bluebells and hydrangeas among other strips of greenery that Mrs. Fletcher was sure to want. He was about to add some of the roses to the bunch he had collected but changed his mind in the end.

No, the roses belonged out here. Where he could look after them and keep them thriving.

Once he felt he'd collected enough, he set them all neatly in his wheelbarrow and began to make the walk to the back of the manor where the doors to the kitchen were. Best to leave them in there than risk tracking dirt into the manor by walking up the front steps and getting the scolding of a lifetime.

When he reached the doors fifteen minutes later, he rapped his knuckles lightly on the door first before using his shoulder to push it open. He then went about laying armful after armful of flowers on the bench just down the hall, yelling over his shoulder to the cook to ask her to set them in some water and to let the housekeeper know where they were next time she came asking.

The old lady simply waved her hand in acknowledgement that she'd do as such as soon as she got the chance and went back to busily chopping vegetables for that night's dinner.

Just as he was on his way out the door again, however, he overheard something that made him slow his lively pace. A pair of maids were chattering amongst themselves, complaining and asking why they needed so many flowers all of a sudden. It was the cook who interrupted the conversation, telling them that if they had time to gossip, they had time to help her chop and that they were being ridiculous anyway.

"Obviously Mrs. Fletcher called for the flowers because they're needed to help decorate the manor to celebrate Mistress Yona coming home from finishing school, you daft girls!"

He nearly tripped over his own feet as he halted suddenly enough that even the maids gave him an odd look, but he didn't care as he quickly turned back around and made his way to the cook.

"Are you certain? The Young Mistress is coming back?" He asked, trying to hide the urgency in his voice and make it sound like mere curiosity for more house gossip like most of the other staff enjoyed.

"When will she be arriving?"

The cook gave him an odd look and quirked an eyebrow at him, but eventually shook her head, muttering something unintelligible under her breath. She told him that the Mistress would be back by 9:30 the next morning.

"That's probably why the housekeeper asked you to cut those flowers for her now as su'posed to tomorrow. She wants everything ready by tonight so that the staff aren't all rushing around in a panic in the mornin'n before her arrival." she said, rolling her eyes.

"Now off with the lot of you! Get your heads out of the clouds and back to work, before Mrs. Fletcher herself comes down and boxes your ears for slacking off when everyone else is working hard to get the manor in order!"

And with that, Hak found himself shooed out of the kitchens, standing dumbly on the bottom of the steps outside the back door.

She was coming home. Tomorrow morning, no less. _Would she recognise him?_ That was a stupid thought. She'd have no reason to even see him, much less remember him now that she was returning home a full fledged lady.

He tried to get back to finishing off the last few jobs and tidying up, but every few minutes he found himself pausing and looking over to where the roses, red as ever, sat planted all around the little pond.

By the old stump that centred a planter.

By the little stone wall. . .

He'd kept the place practically swimming in roses all this time.

He'd kept his promise and looked after them well.

When he finally finished for the day and went off to his job at the taproom that night, he ended up getting scolded on more than one occasion. Several times, customers had to resort to yelling at him before he managed to snap out of whatever daze he had fallen into and take their order.

That night he barely got any sleep, tossing and turning for hours, before eventually settling on simply staring up at the ceiling and counting the lines in the wood.

At some point he must have finally nodded off, because by the time he woke up the next day, he could only guess that he'd gotten maybe an hour or so's sleep the whole night, leaving him groggy-eyed and with a dull but persistent headache.

He slowly padded his way into the kitchen, the red glow of dawn only just giving him enough light to prevent him stubbing his toe on one of the table chairs.

Managing to reach the cupboard, toes intact, he rummaged around for something to eat for around ten minutes before he gave up, deciding that he didn't have much of an appetite anyway. Instead, he settled for packing an extra apple into his lunch to take with him for later before heading out, making sure to close the door behind him quietly so as not to wake anyone else up.

It was earlier than he'd usually leave for work, but without much of an appetite and unable to go back to sleep, he figured he might as well. Who knew? Maybe he'd get to leave a bit earlier if he got enough work done in that extra time.

As he walked up the gravel road, not five miles away from the manor, every time he heard a carriage roll by he can't help but look to the window to see if he'd catch a glimpse of that familiar red hair. To see if he'd even recognise her face.

Every time he had to kick himself mentally for acting so stupid. And for the twinge of disappointment he felt every time the person inside had plain brown, black or sometimes even blonde hair, but none with a red like hers.

When he reached the manor, not an hour later, some of the tension finally seemed to slip from his body as he made the easy walk down the side path to the shed. It was a familiar and solitary routine that helped settle his whirling thoughts. Though, just to make sure, he forced himself to take a deep breath to get his head on straight, just like any other day before he got to work. Grabbing his things, he headed down the dirt path through the woods towards the garden entrance.

As he walked, he was surprised to hear a familiar shriek fill the air. He looked up above to see Gulfan circling just up ahead. It certainly was a nice surprise. He hadn't seen his friend for months now, the bird finally seeming to crave the freedom he's had for so long by exploring further and leaving for longer periods of time.

Obviously he'd found something just up ahead and had wanted for Hak to notice so he'd called out. Perhaps it was a young hare. The cook would surely be happy with him if he brought one back to the kitchens later.

When he reaches the entrance though, all thoughts of work and hares leave his head in an instant.

His tools dropped from his now slack hand with a clang.

There, sitting at the edge of the pond, plucking red petals off a rose, is Yona. He watches as she gently sets each of them one by one on the water's surface before letting them float away like tiny fairy boats.

She's grown.

Though, so has he, and he can tell he still has a couple feet on her.

Her face was sharper, her features more delicate now that she'd lost the roundness that came with youth. She was sitting perched on one of the stone tiles, a fine, pale green dress making her hair stand out even more. Just as bright and lovely as he remembered, even if the elegant lady in front of him was new.

He was still staring at her, mouth slightly agape, when she turned to look up at him, startled by the clang of his tools smacking together as they fell to the ground. The single petal still held in her fingers was blown away and forgotten as they both just stared at each other.

His first thought was that she was supposed to arrive at 9:30. It was only 7am. His second thought was shouting at him much more importantly, asking him what on earth she was doing here.

Slowly, her eyes never leaving his, she stood up and walked over to where he still stood dumbstruck. Her own face displayed her surprise before melting into something much softer. Something he couldn't quite place.

When she was no more than a foot away from him, she stopped, seeming to take in how tall he had grown, how his own features had changed, how they'd stayed the same. And when she finally seemed to have taken in every last detail, she looked back into his eyes and offered him a shy smile.

"Hello, Hak."

{*****}

So I know I said this would be out Friday but I had to move my editing day with my editor off while she finished her work to swap with me. This is also why the final chapter had to be moved till Tuesday. Hope you enjoyed this all the same.

Be back soon! If you want to listen to the song that inspired this chapter/that it was based off here's the link: watch?v=BP6DRZJ12fU


	5. Chapter 5

"Hello, Hak."

He almost couldn't bear the sound of her voice, deeper, yet still as lovely as a melody. Her accent was clearer, after having spent so long in the city. It made him painfully aware of his own more common cadence, but he forced himself to swallow and reply.

"Welcome home, Mistress."

Her face fell slightly at this. He'd always just called her Miss Yona when they'd been kids, so much so that it had always felt like more of a nick-name. But now, after so long it felt too informal given her status.

Yet, she shook it off and continued, "You're so much taller now! I have to crane my head back just to look at your face when we're this close." She paused a moment, "I almost wouldn't have recognised you if it hadn't been for your eyes." she said, that soft something in her voice coming back slightly as she began studying his features again. He nearly blushed under her scrutiny, but by some miracle he managed not too.

"My eyes?" he asked.

"Yes, they're still as blue as the sky over the moors. Almost like there's a piece of the sky itself in them."

He scoffed lightly at her description, her flair for the dramatic as strong as ever.

"I'm afraid I don't think I could say the same about you," he began, shifting slightly from one foot to the other, "I don't think there is a man alive that could mistake the colour of your hair for any other."

"No?" she asked, giving him a cheeky grin and taking a step closer.

"Not a chance." he confirmed, a slight smile beginning to form along his own lips for a moment before he thought better of it. He cleared his throat, and attempted to school his features into as professional an expression as he could muster before asking, "What brings you all the way down here to the gardens then, Mistress?"

This time, she truly looked confused at his question, and despair began to creep into her violet eyes.

She took a step back and seemed to steady herself for a moment before replying.

"I came to see if there was a little boy here. He made me a promise years ago, and I wanted to see if he kept it," she said, her voice now earnest. "And looking around here I can see that he did. The first part at least. He did a wonderful job and looked after the roses we planted together on our last day here together that much is clear."

She nodded her head to herself as she looked around the garden to each planter, and each thicket and pillar draped heavily in the summer blooms.

"But", she continued, "I still need to know if he kept the second half of his promise." She turned back to face him, "Did he remember me while I was away?"

He let out a shuddering breath as he averted his gaze and gave her the reply he knew she was waiting for.

"Not a day went past that you were not the ghost of these roses. That I didn't miss and remember you, wishing you were here to help me look after this place just as you used to."

It was a confession that burned his throat with every word that came out. At the truth it held, and the fear of what that truth meant.

There was no place for him in her life anymore. Not truly. Things got so much more complicated as one grew up. Suddenly, status became more apparent and words so much harder to say. And to admit those words to her, about how badly he'd missed her, felt like he was toeing a dangerous line.

It was a line that, while he pushed and prodded at its edges, he still hadn't dared to cross it. But, surely there was no harm in this? In catching up with an old friend, just for now?

Especially as he saw the light in her eyes burn bright at his words. He watched as she stood up straighter and let out a small, hesitant laugh to herself before bursting into giggles. Before he knew what was happening, she was throwing herself into his arms with a jump.

In his hurry to catch her, he lost his balance and they both went sprawling backward, Hak getting the wind slightly knocked out of him as he hit the ground with a resounding thud.

Yona seemed slightly alarmed at first as she sat up from where she was sprawled across his chest. She clearly looked as though she felt bad for knocking him over, but as soon as he managed to get the air back into his lungs, and she saw he was fine she let out another, real laugh and fell back down on top of him with a massive hug.

"I missed you too, Idiot."

It took him a moment to register her words, but when he did he felt his own laugh begin to bubble out and his smile return as he hugged her back.

"Hak?" she wheezed slightly.

"Yeah?"

"I can't breathe."

"I know. This is my revenge for you basically kneeing me in the gut with that fall." He replied in a sly tone, but releasing her from his crushing grip all the same.

In the end it still earned him a pinch to his side, but it had been worth it. It was always worth it.

After catching her own breath, a task he imagined was surely made more difficult in a corset, she flopped down beside him and they lay there for a few moments.

A few more giggles escaped her as she noticed there were now bits of grass stuck in his hair and she leaned over to brush them off.

"Thanks," he said, a little embarrassed.

"No problem. Sorry for knocking you down in the first place" she replied, a blush now tinting her cheeks. "Not very lady-like, especially considering I just came back from finishing school."

"I expect nothing less. Besides, if I remember correctly it wouldn't be the first time, would it?"

She swatted him on the shoulder for that one and he just continued to smile, loving her even more if it were possible every moment she was back here again with him. Teasing each other. Smiling and laughing as if it had been only yesterday when they'd been sneaking off into the kitchens together to steal some snacks.

"You never answered my question though," he said after a moment, admiring how a butterfly now hovered around her head, thinking her hair was some sort of odd flower, "Why are you here? I heard you weren't supposed to be back until much later."

She gave him a look that said she obviously thought he had just said something stupid, "And _I_ thought I already answered your question. To see you! I asked the coachman the night before if we could leave earlier that morning and he agreed. I wanted to see you before I was dragged away for whatever party my Father's thrown for my return." she raised an eyebrow at him with another scathing look, "especially because I knew you would never come find me yourself."

Well she wasn't wrong, he supposed. Never in a thousand years would he have been bold enough to interrupt her father's party, him, a mere garden hand for Christ's sake, just to catch up. He'd have been fired on the spot, and _then_ he'd never see her at all, ever again.

She continued on unperturbed, entirely unaware of his tunnel vision leading him through worst case-scenarios. "Speaking of which, we should get going. I'll be expected at the house soon enough, and Father will be beside himself with worry if I'm even the slightest bit late."

" _We_?" he asked, giving her a confused, and if he were honest, a slightly panicked look.

She rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, _we._ Did you really expect I'd let you go that easily?" she asked, mischief written all over her face.

"Kinda," he admitted.

She simply scoffed at him daintily before getting to her feet and dusting off her skirts, offering him a hand to help him up as well.

He took it, though he was surprised when he went to let go and she held on firmly, even giving his hand a slight squeeze of reassurance.

"Shall we go then? Or will I have to drag you with me the whole way there?" she asked sweetly, swinging their hands between them like a child.

Like they might've years ago.

"As you wish, Princess." he said, giving her hand a squeeze in return, "I'll follow you anywhere, no matter what's waiting at the end of the road"

{*****}

And so, after Yona had dragged him off to the party that had indeed been waiting for her upon their arrival, Hak did his best to blend in and make pleasantries where required.

Not once did she let him squirm away from her side, her arms looped through his elbow.

Not once did she let any of the people they chatted with get a word in edgewise, asking why he was there. If he should have even been there.

Nope, she had decided that his place was right beside her, and that no one should or even _could_ question it and the thought left a warm feeling in his chest.

The rest of the day was spent traversing from one small group to another, exchanging hellos and asking after one another's families. It wasn't until near mid-day that her poor father was able to get a chance to welcome his little girl home.

Hak had merely stood awkwardly to the side, trying not to intrude on the sweetness of the moment, before it was Yona's own father that was yanking him into the hug to join them leaving him slightly stunned.

For the next hour or so the three of them caught up. Hak hadn't ever seen or even spoken with Yona's father more than once or twice since he'd begun working at the estate, and yet it seemed the man knew all about him from Yona's wild stories about their little adventures together- minus a few details here and there, obviously. Still, her father eagerly thanked him for letting Yona follow him around when they were children, and for looking after her. Some part of Hak was both stunned and completely relieved at the man's enthusiasm towards him.

By the end of the day, everyone was worn out and most of the guests had either started the long ride home or had retired to their rooms for the evening. Hak was stood, leaning lazily against the railing of the front steps by the doorway as Yona waved the last couple to leave her goodbyes. By now a few fireflies had started to come out and dotted the air over the grass and hedges.

"That the last of them then?" he asked, even as he already knew the answer.

"Yup," she replied wearily before walking back over to his side and slouching against the wall beside him, "It was lovely and all, but I think father invited half the country over."

"Maybe, though you haven't seen how crowded it can get at one of the village festivals," he replied, grinning at the thought of her trying to navigate her way through the dancing in the streets and weaving between the food stalls.

She sighed dreamily. "I would love to go to one someday, though."

He tried not to stare at the far-off look in her eyes. At the wistful longing. It was probably about time for him to take his leave.

"Maybe someday you'll get the chance to," he offered gently, "but for now, I think it's about time I went home for the evening. You're lucky I didn't have a shift down at the taproom tonight or I would have been gone ages ago."

"Is it that late already?" she asked, disappointment leaking into her voice, though she looked as though she were trying her best to hide it.

"'Afraid so, Princess. Gramps is probably wondering where the hell I've gone off to being out this late after work."

She looked slightly guilty at that, staring down at her shoes and hiding her hands in her skirts. So, without much thought, he leaned down and gently hooked his finger under her chin until she was looking up at him again.

"Chin up, Princess. I'll see you again tomorrow. Meet you by the entrance, just like old times?" he asked, letting down his guard just for a moment so she could see the hopeful look in his eyes. The joy at being able to say those words again.

Her own features quickly melted back into a warm smile. "Is that really a question?"

He let out a laugh, "Figured I should practice being polite if you're going to drag me to any more parties like this," he offered. "But, if you're so easily on board, I'll be happy to have a rake ready and waiting for you early in the morning just like I promised when you left."

She smacked his arm and he took that as his que to get going as he finally pushed himself off the wall and began to make his way down the steps.

Just as he reached the end of the driveway however, he heard her call his name, just once.

"Hak!"

He turned, looking back at her, her hands cupped around her mouth in an attempt to be heard over the wind, he waited.

"I missed you!"

He smiled, truly and without restraint this time as he called back to her,

"I missed you too!"

{*****}

Hey guys so this was the last chapter of this fic. I hope you all enjoyed it and I apologise it took so long for me to finally get back to it and finish it. You can thank my best friend and lovely editor for finally getting me back on track with my writing. Hope you all are safe and well during this time. Reviews of all kinds are always welcome and appreciated. Take care!


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